My invention pertains to track circuits with cab signals for a dual gage railroad. More particularly, the invention relates to a track circuit arrangement for an electrified, dual gage, common rail railroad track, which will provide train detection, broken rail warning, and cab signal energy for trains of either gage.
When a proposal was made to provide continuous cab signals to all trains using a stretch of dual gage railroad, several problems had to be solved. The fact that the trains of each gage using the track are electrically propelled by direct current energy created a first problem in that the cab signal track circuits had to provide a return circuit path for the propulsion energy. While solutions were known in conventional railroading, these arrangements had to be incorporated into the overall dual gage surroundings or situation. Track circuits which would assuredly detect trains of either gage moving over a section of track were obviously a necessity from a safety standpoint. Correlated is the desirability of detecting and warning the trains of broken rails. Finally, cab signal energy must be supplied to each train of either gage at a sufficient level to operate the train carried, cab signaling apparatus. All these problems have to be solved together to achieve a complete and operable system having sufficient safety and efficiency to warrant installation.
Accordingly, an object of my invention is a cab signal control system for a dual gage stretch of railroad track.
Another object of the invention is a track circuit arrangement for an electrified, dual gage railroad track which also controls continuous cab signal apparatus onboard the trains.
A further object of my invention is a cab signal and track circuit system for an electric propulsion stretch of a dual gage railroad track.
It is also an object of the invention to provide, for a dual gage electrified stretch of railroad, a track circuit arrangement to detect trains, detect broken rails, and control cab signals.
Still another object of the invention is a track circuit, cab signaling system for an electrified dual gage stretch of railroad which provides train detection, broken rail detection, and control energy through the rails for train carried cab signal apparatus.
Other objects, features, and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.